1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to product distribution, and more particularly to an earplug distribution assembly for distributing a variety of types of earplugs.
2. Description of Related Art
Disposable earplugs are used in large quantities in manufacturing and industrial operations. Many types of earplugs are known, including foam roll-down-type earplugs, push-in stemmed earplugs, corded earplugs, metal detectable earplugs, etc. On-site conditions at manufacturing and industrial facilities may necessitate the use, and hence the distribution, of a variety of earplug types. For example, one area of a manufacturing facility may have heightened noise levels with respect to another area of the facility. Workers in the higher noise area will require earplugs with a higher attenuation then workers in a lower noise area. Further, individual workers in a manufacturing or industrial facility may simply prefer to use different types of earplugs. For example, one worker may prefer the comfort of one type of earplug while another worker desires insertion capabilities provided by another type of earplug. Additionally, state, local, and federal occupational safety requirements may require the presence, distribution and use of a plurality of earplug types at a single facility.
Traditional methods of earplug distribution include providing a large open box of individual earplugs for workers to access as needed. Often, however, workers will inadvertently acquire more earplugs than are necessary when accessing the box by hand. Extra earplugs are commonly discarded about the work space, wasting the earplugs and requiring subsequent clean-up efforts. Additionally, sanitization of the earplugs is jeopardized in such a free-for-all distribution. Further, if a variety of earplug types are desired or otherwise required at a given point of distribution, either all earplug types are placed in the single large open box, thus obviously complicating distribution, or several large open boxes are provided, one for each earplug type. This latter method of distributing the variety of earplug types does not cure the above-mentioned deficiencies of open box distribution and necessarily requires a plurality of the large open boxes, thus consuming valuable manufacturing and operational space.
Open box distribution is utilized with respect to individual earplugs, as mentioned, as well earplug pairs packaged together in small plastic or paper packages. As described above with reference to individual earplugs, these earplug pair packages are placed in large open boxes near a point of distribution at a manufacturing or industrial site. Workers may then access the packaged plugs by hand ensuring that only two plugs are attained at any one time, thus reducing waste associated with open box distribution of individual earplugs where workers often retrieve more earplugs then are necessary. Also, open box distribution of packaged earplug pairs maintains the sanitization of the wrapped earplugs even if handled or dropped on the floor and then returned to the large open box.
However, where a facility desires or is otherwise required to provide a plurality of earplug types, the large open box method of distributing packaged earplug pairs still incurs the deficiencies described above with respect to large open box distribution of single earplugs, e.g., several large boxes are required, floor space is consumed, etc.
Another known method of distributing earplugs utilizes a wall mounted earplug dispenser. Such dispensers are typically made of plastic and include a mount assembly to which an earplug container is affixed. Individual earplugs are stored in the earplug container. A dispensing means, such as a rotatable impeller assembly, is located within the earplug container and facilitates the dispensing of the earplugs from the container through an opening to the hand of a user. The impeller assembly is rotated, manually by the user or automatically by some mechanical means, and guides one or several of the individual earplugs toward the opening in the container. When the earplug(s) reach the opening, they fall from the container to the waiting hand of the user.
A wall-mounted earplug dispenser, like that described, does not provide for easy distribution of a variety of earplug types. One such dispenser may be loaded with several types of earplugs, however, in this case, the dispenser would not allow consistent distribution of the different earplug types, i.e., successively operating the dispenser would result in discharge of random earplugs thus complicating a user access to a particular type of plug. Alternatively, to distribute a variety of earplug types, a wall-mounted earplug dispenser may provided on-site for each plug type. This method, however, is expensive and laborious considering that individual wall-mounted dispensers can be costly and manually re-stocking empty dispensers is often difficult and time consuming. Additionally, wall-mounted dispensers often operate in a faulty manner, discharging inconsistent numbers of earplugs or jamming during use, and thus may be undesirable for industry use.
Accordingly, an earplug dispenser is desired which is easy to manufacture and assemble and which is capable of conveniently distributing a plurality of earplug types in an efficient, effective, and consistent manner.